A popular social media influencer was brutally murdered by her ex-husband during a livestream, sparking international outrage and calls for domestic violence reform in China.
The final broadcast
In September 2020, Tibetan influencer Lhamo was hosting one of her regular livestreams from her father's kitchen in Jinchuan county, Sichuan. More than 400 followers were watching the broadcast on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, when her violent ex-husband Tang Lu forced his way into the room.
The screen suddenly went black after viewers heard Lhamo scream in terror. This would be the last time anyone saw her alive.
Years of abuse ignored
Behind Lhamo's idyllic online presence showcasing rural life and cooking, she had endured years of horrific domestic abuse from Tang Lu. The 30-year-old mother of two had divorced him twice - the second time occurring after he forced her into remarriage by threatening to kill their children.
Tang had previously assaulted Lhamo multiple times, leaving her with injuries including bruises and a dislocated elbow. Despite bravely reporting the abuse to police, she was reportedly told: "This is your personal family matter."
Lhamo's sister Dolma had also tried to intervene after another violent incident left Lhamo hospitalised with bone fractures. Police briefly questioned Tang but released him without charges.
Horrific attack and aftermath
During the September 2020 attack, Tang doused Lhamo in gasoline and set her alight. Her father, who was in another room during the assault, immediately rushed her to hospital.
When her sister Dolma arrived at the hospital, she found Lhamo with 90% burns covering her body. "She looked like a piece of charcoal," Dolma recalled in an interview with The New York Times. "He burned almost all her skin off."
Lhamo fought for her life in intensive care for two agonising weeks before succumbing to her injuries.
Justice and legacy
Tang Lu was arrested, found guilty of homicide, and sentenced to death. The court determined his crime "was extremely cruel" and "deserves severe punishment". Despite appealing the sentence, his execution was carried out in summer 2022.
Lhamo's tragic death has since become a rallying cry for domestic violence survivors in China. The case sparked the hashtag #LhamoAct, with activists demanding automatic divorce rights for abuse survivors and stronger enforcement of domestic violence laws.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has since declared that protecting women's rights "must become a national commitment", while Lhamo was memorialised in a feminist song by Chinese singer Tan Weiwei.
Dolma expressed the family's heartbreaking frustration: "It's too late to talk about these things now. If they had taken it seriously at that time and disciplined or punished him, we wouldn't be in this situation today."
